The present application generally relates to an insert for containers, and more particularly, to an insert for a trash container.
Public bathrooms typically have paper towel dispensers and trash containers that are combined in a single wall mounted unit. An example of such a paper towel dispenser and trash container unit 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The paper towel dispenser 12 is positioned on top of the unit 10. Paper towels can be dispensed from an opening in a bottom panel 14 of the paper towel dispenser 12. Below the paper towel dispenser 12 is a trash container 16. The container 16 includes a front panel 18, a rear wall 20, side walls 22 and a bottom 24. The top of the container 16 is open to define an opening 26. The distance between the trash container 16 and the bottom panel 14 provides sufficient space so that users can pull paper towels out of dispenser 12 and place trash in the container 16 through the opening 26. The trash container 16 may have any shape. In FIG. 1, the trash container 16 is shown to be rectangular and have a curved front panel 18 so as to be more aesthetically pleasing.
Some trash containers may have an inner container for holding a trash bag. The bag is placed inside the container and the upper part of the bag is folded over and outside the top of the container. When the inner container and the bag are placed in the trash container, the inner container and the bag may be partially hidden from view such that the front wall of the trash container is unobstructed. Accordingly, a more aesthetically pleasing paper towel dispenser and trash container can be provided by concealing the bag with the use of the inner container.
To remove the bag when full, a maintenance person can pull the bag out of the inner container without removing the inner container from the trash container. Due to the vacuum created between the bag and the inner container and the friction between the bag and the inner container, the inner container may be pulled out with the bag. However, the inner container may not be completely or easily removable from the trash container because the paper towel dispenser is closely positioned above the trash container. Accordingly, the front panel of the wall mounted trash containers typically function as a door so as to allow access to the container through the front of the trash container. The door may be hinged on one side and latched or locked on the other side. A maintenance person can unlatch or unlock the door and remove the inner container for changing the bag and cleaning the inner container or the trash container.
Maintenance personnel often remove the inner container and simply put the trash bag inside the trash container to simplify the maintenance process. However, to secure the bag in the trash container, the bag is folded over the front panel of the trash container. Accordingly, part of the front panel of the trash container is covered by the bag, which is less aesthetically pleasing than when the inner container is properly used. Furthermore, removal of the bag without opening the front wall of the trash container may still prove cumbersome due to the above-described vacuum and friction between the bag and the trash container.
Based on the above, there is a need for an inner container or insert for a trash container that allows easy access to the bag and removal of the bag without having to open the front panel of the trash container.